Thread: About the March tip of rushing into shaving

Greetings all,
I have some comments about the March 2012 Tip on the homepage about rushing into shaving. I agree with most of the post, about taking your time while shaving, doing it step by step, and not trying to do your whole face the first time. However, I for one want to know before I buy a $100 razor, that I can hone it. I purchased an old razor off ebay, and I'm in the process of honing it now. I haven't shaved yet, but I do have an another old one that I sent to Lynn for honing. I want to see what one feels like before I try to shave with one I hone. I just want to know that I can do this myself before really getting into the sport! I figure if I can get an ebay razor right, I won't have such trepidations about purchasing a nice razor later on. But I'm this way on a lot of things. Motorcycles, I bought one I knew I could work on without sending it to the dealer all the time. I've changed tires, changed clutches, do my own valve adjustments, so to me, it only makes sense to try to hone an old one, before making the leap. If I can't get it right, then I'll just stick with the DE's for now. But when I get mine back from Lynn, I'll be taking baby steps on shaving. Although I haven't touched a sharp one in a long time, I think it would be easy to rush into shaving my whole face right off, but I'll do it one part at a time, just as mentioned!

As much as you see about honing, you would think it is rocket science...(here we go with the infamous opinion thing)
It sounds like you are mechanically inclined if you can do basic maintenance on a motorcycle so I do not think that you would have a problem honing a razor, which would be another mechanically inclined type of operation. It does take some time to learn though. Good Luck and have fun!

Thanks! It's one of those things for me, that as you said, rocket science, that I have to make sure I can do it first. It's a mind game for me...

"Honing" is a big word

"Maintain an edge" is actually way smaller

I think the gist of waiting to hone is more about getting the shave down first so you know how your honing is. Wouldn't you confusing thinking your honing is better when really you just got better at shaving. It is also beginner advice for the unknown beginner. I shall example myself, I was learning to sharpen swords and already had a few hundred in sharpening gear, and days upon days of putting steel to stone. Then I stumbled across my grandpa's old straight razor. Decided to purchase a new one since I already had the tools to maintain it.

Sharpening/honing is not a mechanical operation, its a skill operation more akin to using the same ratchet so much over so many torque ranges you can torque to spec with it. The face shave is like actually confirming you did torque it to spec with a torque wrench. Except with sharpening/honing there is no torque wrench to tell you how wrong you were and how you were wrong in the process.

No, it is definately not rocket science. you set an angle in metal then polish that angle out. It does require a bit of experience that only comes with doing it.

That all said, I think the best advice for the unknown individual is to hold off on honing. Honestly, getting it honed 2x a year would take a couple years to pay off the basic equipment. Not to mention the time involved in the learning process. The unknown individual that would benefit from not heeding that advice, would read it and take it with a grain of salt becasue they already understand what is involved.

Good point. Right now i do want to be able to maintain the edge. That's the better phrase. Long term, maybe find an old rusty razor to try and restore, honing.. Thanks for that clarification! I certainly do not want to rip my motorcycle engine down to the core, but I would if I needed to. So maintaining that edge when i get my razor back from Lynn is the course I want to take.

LameBMX - I certainly want to get the shaving part down first. That's one reason I sent a razor to Lynn. I want to feel what it's like with a nice sharp blade. And honing is a skill that will take time to learn. Hopefully, I'll be able to maintain that razor once I get it back with the skills I'll learn with my ebay buy. That's all I'm looking for short term.

Originally Posted by Leeward

LameBMX - I certainly want to get the shaving part down first. That's one reason I sent a razor to Lynn. I want to feel what it's like with a nice sharp blade. And honing is a skill that will take time to learn. Hopefully, I'll be able to maintain that razor once I get it back with the skills I'll learn with my ebay buy. That's all I'm looking for short term.

You are only 90 minutes away from some hands on honing instruction.

Have fun.

Originally Posted by Leeward

Good point. Right now i do want to be able to maintain the edge. That's the better phrase. Long term, maybe find an old rusty razor to try and restore, honing.. Thanks for that clarification! I certainly do not want to rip my motorcycle engine down to the core, but I would if I needed to. So maintaining that edge when i get my razor back from Lynn is the course I want to take.

This is actually IMHO the best way to learn honing ie: backwards

Learn to maintain an already sharp edge, then learn to re-fresh a declining edge, then learn to re-set a dull bevel, then finally tackle restoring a complete bevel... but many people don't have that patience, they buy an E-bay POS and jump into the deep end ..

I can barely wait to see more instructions on honing!